According to the NYC Department of Correctio, over 3,500 individuals in New York City jails receive medication for mental illness and/or are diagnosed as mentally ill every single day.

Jails tend to be revolving doors, and most of the men and women who face the challenge of mental illness eventually end up back on the streets, homeless, and abusing drugs and alcohol in a desperate attempt to manage the symptoms of their illness.  Addiction and homelessness both contribute to criminal involvement and recidivism – factors that, when taken in combination with the physical, mental, and emotional effects of mental illness, explain why 42% of afflicted individuals who are released from City custody are released within eight months (City of New York Department of Correction, 2006).  Significantly evidence points to the fact that, simply put, incarcerating the mentally ill is expensive and ineffective.

These are only some of the reasons why the Fortune Society opened the doors of The Better Living Center (BLC) in July, 2011. Adults (most but not all of whom are Fortune Society clients) are able to obtain licensed mental health treatment.  This treatment is provided by a highly skilled clinical staff of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, social workers, nursing care and a clinic director.

The Center accepts Medicaid, or Medicaid-eligible, clients.